I think that begs the question of what the difference is between tanking, rebuilding and just plain losing a lot.

How does one draw the distinction between a tank and a rebuild? Is there one? Then what are the merits of living with losing(while trying to win) that make it a better option than cashing in your chips, leaning into the losing/tanking/rebuilding/whathaveyou, building through trades and the draft and more trades to assemble a better/deeper roster for the long haul? Are there any?

As far as I see it the only downside to openly "tanking" is the stigma, but strategically there isn't a better option for building a title contender. (besides being a rip-off artist but that's an even worse stigma IMO and there's a special place in the 7th layer of hell for those)

What measures could possibly discourage "tanking"/losing on purpose for better draft position that don't completely destroy competitive balance? (SimD, sports at large, or both)

I, for one, am doing something that I call a "half tank". I've already traded off the majority of the valuable pieces to my roster in hopes of acquiring excellent young players and draft picks to create a roster that should contend for several years. The guys I traded were replaced with the best players I could find on the waiver wire with the highest mentor ratings. This is where it goes from simple rebuilding and into the half-tank scenario.

I could go to the waiver wire right now, and find superior performing replacements for half my roster. This would probably boost my team into the 65-75 win range, given the quality of the young players I've acquired and those I did not trade. And while it would make my team look better now, it hurts my team down the road. I would not have the mentoring needed to strongly finish off developing certain players/pitchers through their OS 26 years. As such, they would stand a much less chance of reaching full potential. Also, this strategy pretty much insures that I will have a top 3 pick for the first few years of the rebilding process (most likely just 3-4 years in this particular scenario where it is usually 6-8 years, this team had better trade options and starting prospects than the teams I usually take over). There's a HUGE difference in the quality of player you can draft in the top 3-4 picks as to what usually ends up drafted in the middle of the round... nevertheless the end of the round.

Now, I know that last bit sounds like a complete tanking scenario. I disagree. First, I'm not seeking out the worst players possible as most pure tanking teams do. Most of my veterans are indeed terrible for the most part, but I could have picked up even worse players. I did seek out mentors, but I sought the best mentors available. I am also playing the best players currently on my MLB roster, with the exception of the young players I'm trying to finalize development with. Beyond this, I am using the same exact preference settings (and stadium/stadium design) as I am with my 3 playoff contenders. I have not altered settings to have guys get thrown out while trying to steal or over-aggresively stretch out a hit. Nor have I setup scenarios so that the worst defenders come into late and close games to botch plays, or to bring in the worst relievers possible under the same circumstances.

The goal is to acquire as much young talent as possible (without ripping anyone off), develop it, and ease the prospects into their longterm roles. In that process, I end up with high level draft picks, but I've already seen one terrible draft class during this rebuild... so that too comes with its own level of risk.

Ive been in this game a longtime . The word tanking is so misleading. Ive traded away many players to rebuild . Sad but true that losing is all a part of the rebuild process.I truly feel if you cant win a championship then you always try for the best draft picks . Since your paying for the team and are excepting the fact youll lose 100 games for 5 seasons I think thats enough punishment by itself.I have to admit Ive pulled a couple of players to get a better pick . Just part of the game to me ,